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James and Cat

Monday, 2 December 2013

Just an old fashioned guy...

A few weeks before the early Christmas present mentioned in
Catherine’s last post. Events started to gather pace.

October 14th - 33 days to go. I go pick up the ring.
Very fun to do. I have to admit that there is a certain swagger that
comes along with it. The best way to describe it is that it felt
right. However there was something that just wouldn't do... The ring
box! Yes it was pretty and yes it showed off the ring nicely but it
just wasn’t me or Catherine. I would expect more from me, so Catherine would get more than she expects.

I had been toying with the idea to incorporate us into the design
of the ring box. I finally settled on the plan. TARDIS ring box. It
was just a matter of making one. There are a few places online that
you will find a TARDIS ring box. I say a few there is only one place, etsy.com

I settled on a TARDIS replica model about the size of my hand.
First step saw TARDIS in half to check if it was indeed hallow and
able to hold a ring (It was)
Step 2 Admire handy work of being able
to saw a TARDIS in half…
Step 3 PANIC!!! How do I keep this closed?
Step 4 Calm down, using a jewellery box hinge and latch I had created
a TARDIS Box. Lastly finish off with black felt and place inside a
ring holder and WOLLA.

It was perfect. My thing I loved most about the box and that I
knew Catherine would love is that i attached an augmented reality
image to it. This means whenever our phone camera hovers over the
TARDIS an image will appear of LEGO me proposing (with the ring) to
LEGO Catherine in front of the TARIS and LEGO Doctor and Amy. I
geeked out over this like mad!!! A simple app from the app store –
Aurasma, but how cool. I knew it wouldn’t be part of the proposal
but a nice idea to talk about and to remind her of the moment. The
LEGO us was a present from Catherine to me when she went to Liverpool
to visit Nuala.

All that was left to do was the small matter of getting her
fathers’ permission. I am quite the old school hopeless romantic in
some ways and it is only right like the gentlemen of old to obtain
the fathers blessing. Liam is a great guy, friendly funny and
enthusiastic. Catherine’s entire family has always been very
welcoming and has always treated me as an extension of their own
family.
October 29th – 18 days to go. Catherine is away for
business to an event in Dublin for the night. (side note: Our
anniversary) it was time to talk to Liam... I had spent the day
thinking of what I would say to him. But I settled on telling myself
“the words will come to you”. Armed with this self assured mantra
I jumped in the car and headed for Omagh. I was so relaxed just
chilling out cruising alone listening to the radio not a care in the
world, not worried about what was to come.
7 minutes later – 12 miles from Catherine’s home house. Like a
ton of bricks all at once NERVES!!! The voice in the back of my head
says “you’re not seriously going to roll up to the house and have
nothing to say!!! You are going to stand there with your mouth open
and nothing will come out.” As soon as I had shook the nervous
feeling I was there. Time to speak from the heart....
Knock knock,
James – “hello Liam...”
Liam – “hellllloooo James, come on in. Rosemarie is down in
the front there”
James – “Well Liam I am here to speak to you....”
(Liam stand up, looks me square in the eye.)
...
(I motion to speak)
James – “I...”
Liam – “Before you say anything... YES!!!! Yes, yes yes”
(Courses of laughter)
(It must have been written all over my face)
James – (smiling wildly) “Just to make this official... I
request your permission, for your daughters hand in marriage”
Liam – (smiling more) “yes well of course”
(More laughter)
It is at this point we both catch Rosemarie out the corner of our
eye. Tearing up and smiling the happiest smile. We have a cup of tea
and speak for a while as I catch them up on my plans. Not long to go.
Both Liam and Rosemarie are sworn to secrecy. “Just two word...
Adidas predators” a joke as last my last birthday Liam had let slip
what Catherine had got me.

It was done; I got her fathers’ permission and now just had to
ask Catherine…

Note from Catherine:So folks we are nearly there! This Thursday, we will be doing a special post on the proposal itself! We will be giving both our experiences and a look over the reaction from our friends and family on Facebook and Twitter.